What do ya think of the new Triumph Twins?

Subject: What do ya think of the new Triumph Twins? Wed Oct 28, 2015 8:43 am

So where I work, we're a Triumph dealer as well as the Piaggio brands, and I've always liked the style of the "modern classic" bikes (Bonnie, thruxton, scrambler etc) and thought they were very pleasant to ride, but lacked excitement. The 865cc twin is smooth and powerful enough for what it is, but unfortunately a little soulless. I've spent a lot of time riding them, but never considered owning one.

Well, this year it looks like Triumph may be changing that. Two new engines (900 and 1200cc), both water cooled and an all new chassis looks pretty promising. They haven't shared any real numbers yet, but they're claiming 55% more torque from the new 1200 than the outgoing 865! I'll be looking forward to riding the new Thruxton R model with real suspension, big brakes and modern tire sizes.

My only worry with the new bikes is that the current air cooled models aren't lightweights by any means (around 500 pounds wet) so hopefully they didn't get too much porkier in the redesign.

In the garage I also have an 04 Thruxton , it has been stone reliable and is easy to swap stuff around to make it fit your style or lack of. As mentioned, it is a pig and I can't help but think these new ones will be 600 pound " racers"

No thanks. Ducati took Triumphs lunch money with their latest Scrambler with more hp and almost 100 pounds less weight.

In the garage I also have an 04 Thruxton , it has been stone reliable and is easy to swap stuff around to make it fit your style or lack of. As mentioned, it is a pig and I can't help but think these new ones will be 600 pound " racers"

No thanks. Ducati took Triumphs lunch money with their latest Scrambler with more hp and almost 100 pounds less weight.

Reading between the lines your saying Ducati took the hipster's that don't have a ability to weild a angle grinder near a SR500...

So far so good .........I think Triumph has done what it had to do ....big increase in HP and Torque , even if they are fat , and remember the GRiSO is no lightweight either and they work very well indeed .So at say @100hp rw and 85 ftlbs (estimate) with a liquid cooled engine at even 540 wet the bike should be fast and competitive in the same market as the 1200 GRiSO is now .

Last edited by keenerkeen07 on Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:10 pm; edited 1 time in total

So far so good .........I think Triumph has done what it had to do ....big increase in HP and Torque , even if they are heavy , and remember the GRiSO is no lightweight either and they work very well indeed .So at say @100hp rw and 85 ftlbs (estimate) with a liquid cooled engine at even 540 wet the bike should be fast and competitive in the same market as the 1200 GRiSO is now .Just saying .....

That's what I'm thinking.

I wouldn't trade the GRiSO for the new Trumpet, but if anything it should now be a competitor in that class with the GRiSO, Beemer 9-T, et al.

So far so good .........I think Triumph has done what it had to do ....big increase in HP and Torque , even if they are heavy , and remember the GRiSO is no lightweight either and they work very well indeed .So at say @100hp rw and 85 ftlbs (estimate) with a liquid cooled engine at even 540 wet the bike should be fast and competitive in the same market as the 1200 GRiSO is now .Just saying .....

That's what I'm thinking.

I wouldn't trade the GRiSO for the new Trumpet, but if anything it should now be a competitor in that class with the GRiSO, Beemer 9-T, et al.

yep and that class will grow .......other mfg will be in there.. and it will I would bet, be the NEXT big thing (Roadster Class ?)

So far so good .........I think Triumph has done what it had to do ....big increase in HP and Torque , even if they are heavy , and remember the GRiSO is no lightweight either and they work very well indeed .So at say @100hp rw and 85 ftlbs (estimate) with a liquid cooled engine at even 540 wet the bike should be fast and competitive in the same market as the 1200 GRiSO is now .Just saying .....

That's what I'm thinking.

I wouldn't trade the GRiSO for the new Trumpet, but if anything it should now be a competitor in that class with the GRiSO, Beemer 9-T, et al.

yep and that class will grow .......other mfg will be in there.. and it will I would bet be the NEXT big thing (Roadster Class ?)

Not that my experience matters much for the motorcycle market in general, but I've definitely seen more customers who want a bike with standard ergonomics, and that looks like a "good 'ol fashioned motorcycle" in that 1000-1200cc area, as opposed to the current crop of touring and adv bikes that are so popular.

At the end of the day, I think it's good to see the class expanding, and competition improves the breed!

Thruxton R looks the goods to me. I am a fan of the look of modern sport classics but I'm not a fan of buying a bike in 2015/6 that might as well been built in the 1950's when it comes to its specs. These look like a step in the right direction for Triumph and people will just have to get over the fact that they are no longer built in Britain if they want to buy one.

Thruxton R looks the goods to me. I am a fan of the look of modern sport classics but I'm not a fan of buying a bike in 2015/6 that might as well been built in the 1950's when it comes to its specs. These look like a step in the right direction for Triumph and people will just have to get over the fact that they are no longer built in Britain if they want to buy one.

OK hadn't been paying attention to triumph since a took a dayton 955 for a test ride in 2000 and found it to be a soft squish thing, now I find out that they are not even British,,,please don tell me santa isn't real ...Globalization slowly and surely fucking everything...

Finally a retro cafe racer that comes with Ohlin suspension, full Brembo radial set up and a 17" wheels for a full choice of whatever tyres float your boat.

The V7 Cafe and Ducati scrambler are just "Look at me, look at me" poseur/wannabe/hipster bikes with basic (cheap/poor quality) suspension and braking components. These do not make for a pleasant ride for anybody who wants to travel fast, unless you do heaps of upgrades.

The Thruxton R has the potential to be a great ride, although I don't know its wet weight. But then I've cut 40kg off the Bellagio and would love a GRiSO to meet up with my grinder.

Still wouldn't buy one, got Mandello marrow in me bones.

Last edited by ghezzi on Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

So where I work, we're a Triumph dealer as well as the Piaggio brands, and I've always liked the style of the "modern classic" bikes (Bonnie, thruxton, scrambler etc) and thought they were very pleasant to ride, but lacked excitement. The 865cc twin is smooth and powerful enough for what it is, but unfortunately a little soulless.

That is exactly what I thought of the 1999 Laverda 750S that I owned. Sigh.I am so glad I have my GRiSO.

As for the Triumphs; I have not driven one but....The only one that felt like it had the light weight low CG feel of the Olde Guard was the Bonnie.The New Bonnie has a similar feel to the '70s bikesIt's the only one of the new ilk I would consider owning.

I too like the thruxton, especially the faired verson.But a 1200 version that handled may have tempted me, but like the non retro look of the GRiSO, i am probably a heretic but i am not a fan of the wire wheels on the new ones.

True believers of the GRiSO understand the wire wheels are just hipster bait added after sales started to slow down..

I likes me spokes..... i gets to paint em in ACF-50 and sing songs in the garage to myself. I also am not losing tyre pressure........woohooo!

I also was looking at Triumphs before buying the Guzzi. Be happy to 'look' at the new models, but it's not going to sway me. I parked up next to a BMW 9T a few weeks ago and still think the GRiSO looks miles better and holds it's own [ maybe a bit biased ]. I was going to take a picture but it was gone when I got out of the shop.

Currently looking at a centre hub steer front end/frame made locally, lighter frame and front end than stock Ducati. But the real clincher is the bike is, on average 1 sec faster per corner as tested by Alan Cathcart. For a given speed/radius, it doesn't need to lean as hard to make the turn, or you take a different faster line at a higher speed. I want one wif an 8V.